The effect of race and supplementation on maternal and umbilical cord plasma folates.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that race and supplementation affect the concentration and correlation of various folate species in maternal and umbilical cord blood.

Methods: This is a single-center, prospective, cross-sectional cohort of cord blood samples obtained from 40 uncomplicated term pregnancies as a pilot study, following a protocol approved by the Institutional Review Board. High performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry quantitated the following concentrations in extracted plasma samples: 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), 5,10-methenyl-tetrahydrofolate (5,10-MeTHF), tetrahydrofolate (THF), and unmetabolized folic acid.

Placental Alpha Microglobulin-1 Compared With Fetal Fibronectin to Predict Preterm Delivery in Symptomatic Women.

Objective: To compare the rapid bedside test for placental α microglobulin-1 with the instrumented fetal fibronectin test for prediction of imminent spontaneous preterm delivery among women with symptoms of preterm labor.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study on pregnant women with signs or symptoms suggestive of preterm labor between 24 and 35 weeks of gestation with intact membranes and cervical dilatation less than 3 cm. Participants were prospectively enrolled at 15 U.

Incidence of wound complications in cesarean deliveries following closure with absorbable subcuticular staples versus conventional skin closure techniques.

Objective: To determine if there is a significant difference in composite wound complications among traditional closure techniques versus absorbable subcuticular staple closure.

Study Design: This study is a retrospective cohort study of cesarean sections performed from January through September of 2014. Composite wound complications included surgical site infection, separation, and fluid collection.

Biochemical markers for the prediction of preterm delivery.

Preterm delivery is the largest contributor to perinatal morbidity and mortality throughout the world. In the United States, nearly 1 in every 8 infants is born prematurely. Although a portion of these births are indicated preterm deliveries, the frequency of spontaneous preterm birth has remained largely constant over the past 50 years.

Missing prenatal records at a birth center: a communication problem quantified.

Objectives: To quantify the extent of missing prenatal records at the time of patient presentation to a birth center, to document the age of the information in those records, and to discover how quickly missing records were retrieved.

Method: A survey form was completed over a three-month period for each patient presenting for care.

Results: Prenatal records were unavailable 37% of the time at initial presentation.

Biochemical markers for the prediction of preterm labor.

Premature labor and subsequent premature delivery is the major cause of perinatal death in the world. Numerous risk factors identify patients at jeopardy for preterm labor, but with poor sensitivity. Several biologic and biochemical markers have been recently studied that may allow early identification of patients at risk of preterm delivery.

Fetal anemia as a response to prophylactic platelet transfusion in the management of alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

The antenatal management of alloimmune thrombocytopenia (ATP) frequently requires fetal blood sampling and prophylactic platelet transfusion. A recent case of ATP complicated by associated red blood cell alloimmunization demonstrated severe hemolysis apparently as a result of ABO incompatibility from transfused platelets.